System using a megawatt class millimeter wave source and a high-power rectenna to beam power to a suspended platform

Abstract

A system for beaming power to a high altitude platform is based upon a high power millimeter gyrotron source, optical transmission components, and a high-power receiving antenna (i.e., a rectenna) capable of rectifying received millimeter energy and converting such energy into useable electrical power.

1. A method of beaming power from a first location to a remote location, comprising:
 providing a high altitude suspended platform,  
 providing a power transmitting system that includes a millimeter wavelength source at said first location,  
 transferring power produced by said millimeter wavelength source by directing said source onto a foil reflector on said platform; and  
 providing a high-power rectenna, said rectenna arranged on said platform to receive a focused power from said reflector, wherein said rectenna rectifies said focused power into useable electrical power.  
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , wherein said millimeter wavelength source comprises at least one frequency selected from about 35 GHz, about 94 GHz, and about 140 GHz. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1 , wherein said source includes a gyrotron configured to transmit up to about a megawatt of millimeter wave power. 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 1 , wherein said high-power rectenna comprises a resonant cavity that further includes a field emission diode. 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 1 , wherein said high-power rectenna comprises a field emission diode in a half-wave dipole antenna configuration. 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 1 , wherein said high-power rectenna comprises high-density Shottky diodes. 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 1 , wherein said foil reflector is configured to receive a transmitted beam from said source of up to about 40 m in diameter. 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 7 , wherein said foil reflector comprises a thin metallic coating applied to the top of said platform. 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 1 , wherein said high-power rectenna is configured to receive said focused power comprising greater than about 200 mW/cm 2 . 
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 1 , wherein said high-altitude platform includes a fabric housing opaque to visible light but transparent to millimeter wavelengths. 
     
     
       11. The method of  claim 1 , wherein said useable electrical power can be directed to provide power for at least one function selected from: station keeping, propulsion, and payload utility. 
     
     
       12. A power beaming system for transferring power from a first location to a remote location, comprising:
 a high altitude suspended platform,  
 an electromagnetic radiation source positioned at said first location and configured to transfer a predetermined power to said high altitude suspended platform,  
 a foil reflector on said high altitude platform to receive said predetermined power; and  
 a high-power rectenna on said high altitude platform, arranged to receive a focused power from said foil reflector, wherein said rectenna rectifies said focused power into useable electrical power.  
 
     
     
       13. The system of  claim 12 , wherein said source includes a gyrotron configured to transmit up to about a megawatt of power. 
     
     
       14. The system of  claim 12 , wherein said source comprises at least one frequency selected from about 35 GHz, about 94 GHz, and about 140 GHz. 
     
     
       15. The system of  claim 12 , wherein said high-power rectenna comprises a resonant cavity that further includes a field emission diode. 
     
     
       16. The system of  claim 12 , wherein said high-power rectenna comprises a field emission diode in a half-wave dipole antenna configuration. 
     
     
       17. The system of  claim 12 , wherein said high-power rectenna comprises high-density Shottky diodes. 
     
     
       18. The system of  claim 12 , wherein said foil reflector is configured to receive a transmitted beam from said source of up to about 40 m in diameter. 
     
     
       19. The system of  claim 18 , wherein said foil reflector comprises a thin metallic coating applied to the top said platform. 
     
     
       20. The system of  claim 12 , wherein said high-altitude suspended platform includes a fabric housing opaque to visible light but transparent to millimeter wavelengths. 
     
     
       21. The system of  claim 12 , wherein said high-power rectenna is configured to receive said focused power comprising greater than about 200 mW/cm 2 . 
     
     
       22. The method of  claim 12 , wherein said useable electrical power can be directed to provide power for at least one function selected from: station keeping, propulsion, and payload utility. 
     
     
       23. A power beaming system for transferring power from Earth to a high altitude suspended platform, comprising:
 a gyrotron source,  
 a beam wave propagating antenna further comprising a water-cooled sub-reflector, wherein said antenna is configured to transfer power received from said source to said high altitude platform  
 a foil reflector arranged on said high altitude platform to receive said power; and  
 a high-power rectenna on said high altitude platform arranged to receive a focused power from said foil reflector, wherein said rectenna rectifies said focused power into useable DC electrical power.  
 
     
     
       24. The system of  claim 23 , wherein said gyrotron source is configured to transmit up to about a megawatt of power. 
     
     
       25. The system of  claim 23 , wherein said source comprises at least one frequency selected from about 35 GHz, about 94 GHz, and about 140 GHz. 
     
     
       26. The system of  claim 23 , wherein said high-power rectenna comprises a resonant cavity that further includes a field emission diode. 
     
     
       27. The system of  claim 23 , wherein said high-power rectenna comprises a field emission diode in a half-wave dipole antenna configuration. 
     
     
       28. The system of  claim 23 , wherein said high-power rectenna comprises high-density Shottky diodes. 
     
     
       29. The system  claim 23 , wherein said high-power rectenna is configured to receive said focused power comprising greater than about 200 mW/cm 2 . 
     
     
       30. The system of  claim 23 , wherein said foil reflector comprises a thin metallic coating applied to the top of said platform. 
     
     
       31. The system of  claim 23 , wherein said high-altitude suspended platform includes a fabric housing opaque to visible light but transparent to millimeter wavelengths. 
     
     
       32. The method of  claim 23 , wherein said useable electrical power can be directed to provide power for at least one function selected from: station keeping, propulsion, and payload utility.